Cheaper by the dozen
by TempeGeller
Summary: Emma and Hook have always wanted a big family. In their family every day is a surprise...
1. Prologue

**Prologue: The number Twelve**

Twelve is a unique number to us. Always was, always has been.

I was twelve years old when I met Killian. It was the 12th December at precisely 12:12 that we had met. It had been a beautiful 12 years together. I never met anyone like him before. He was a natural in the subject 'Emma Swan'. It seemed that remembering knowledge about me was the best thing he did. He would remember every single detail I mentioned, and he would make me feel like the most special woman in the world. He made me laugh more than anything. And he understood where I came from.

Like me, Killian came from a broken home. His parents had died in a car crash when he was very young, after that he had been brought up by his grandparents. I had been abandoned by my parents when I was tiny. It had taken 12 years before I had found the perfect family. Little did I know I would find true love in this home. It wasn't true love at first sight; I was distrustful and afraid that he would leave me. And he didn't feel attacked by my fear; he took it as a chance to prove himself.

Like when he won me that big bear on the spring fair. There was nothing Killian wouldn't do for me. He never blamed me for anything. Not even when I got pregnant at the age of 17, he told me we could do this that we were mature enough to start a family. Little did I know that he had the same fears I did.

Henry was born on 12th December 2018. Exactly eleven years after we had met. I was eighteen; he was nineteen.

What happened next, I couldn't have expected. Parenthood was the most natural thing I had ever experienced. Taking care of Henry happened to be the most natural thing I had ever done. I didn't mind the dreams of college I was giving up for this child. There was a part of me that wanted to give children no one wanted a home. To my surprise, Killian agreed with it.

And on 14th of February, Belle French, entered our home. Belle French had known pain in her sixteen years. Her mother had died, and her father had committed suicide not much later. She also had come with a long family history of depression. Adopting her didn't seem the obvious choice, but we took the challenge. In my fantasies, the life of the girl would turn around right away. However Belle French proved to be more difficult than that. And somehow we thought what Belle needed was siblings.

Things went fast after that.

Two months later the foster system contacted us with an urgent matter. They had tried to find a home for a twin. They had both been sixteen years old. There was not a single family that was willing to take them in. So we did. We showed them the closeness our family knew. Ruby and Aurora were happy children. And somehow they brought sunshine in our lives. Bit by bit Belle's life became more bright.

Somehow after that point, foster care found our address first. The next ones that came were Mary Margaret, Regina and Zelina. Killian's small fortune made it possible for me to stay home, follow my dreams. Raise kids and make videos about it. Killian went to work, and I did what was necessary. With five teenagers and a bay things in the Jones-Swan household were never quiet and that's what we liked about it. I loved the constant sound of laughter and the sound of feet on the floor. I don't think Henry would even live inside a home with no five children.

Around Christmas, we would take in Elsa. Elsa was a rebellious child. Followed by a history of abandonment. Somehow down the road, she had lost her sister Anna. I promised her I would do everything in my power to find Anna and bring her home. After that, I gave a home to Neal, James and August. The months past and I couldn't imagine saying goodbye to any of them. It took a lot of effort, but I adopted all of them.

They were my family, not by nature, but by choice. And I wouldn't miss any of them. Ever.


	2. Chapter 1: Morning in the Swan-Jones

**Chapter 1: Morning in the Swan-Jones household**

 **Emma Swan**

I can't tell you much about the Swan-Jones household. We are a very peculiar our home quiet moment don't exist. You wouldn't expect from a home where eleven teenagers and one baby reside. In all reality, me and Killian might be the quietest in the whole household.

We lived in a small Victorian mansion in the quiet part of Storybrooke. A small town. A white Victorian mansion with seven bedrooms and three bathrooms. This meant the children had to share rooms.

Belle and Ruby shared the Attic room. Both got along greatly, and I believe their room was the tidies in the house.

Then there was Aurora and Regina, who proved that opposites could get along if absolutely necessary. I think Aurora always listened to every little thing Regina said, and somehow Regina loved it that the young girl never questioned her authority.

Siblings Mary Margaret and Zelina got even more difficult along. They had the most significant room in the house, but even then they were able to start trouble in just a few seconds. Their halves of the room couldn't be more different. Mary supported an absolute light in her room; Zelina preferred the darker tones.

Elsa shared a room with Alice, who seemed to be close without ever saying a word. And then there was the biggest room for Neal, James and August. Three boys who believed, the more noise, the better.

This morning was different from any other mornings we had. Everyone was starting a new school, every moment they had spent in this new home had been summer vacation. Today all of them were going to Storybrooke High for the first time. I knew this day would come and I would have only Henry at home. All of the kids were between the ages of 14 and 18. A lot of teenagers in one household.

This morning was more hectic than any morning I had ever known. Killian said I should get used to it.

In a house of eleven teenagers, there would never be a quiet morning.

"Do I have to go?" Belle asked.

I was almost persuaded to keep her home, to save her the pain from high school, but I couldn't.

"Belle, things will be okay," I replied. "Who knows? Things might turn out better than you expect."

I don't know how I managed it that morning. I don't see how I packed eleven healthy lunches for each child. I don't know how I took care of Henry at the same time. For some reason, I was meant to have a large family. The stress didn't get to me, and my mess in my kitchen didn't bother me at all. I almost wanted to say we should hire a maid.

"Watch out!" I heard someone say, as a football zoomed pass my head.

"Neal!" I looked at a fourteen-year-old boy. "No footballs inside!"

They didn't call us mom and dad. In all reality, we weren't their parents. They had all lost their parents in a tragedy; I believed that we could never be named mom and dad since they had a mom and dad. We were known to them as 'Emma', and for some reason, they always called Killian 'Hook'. A lovely term Killian would never escape.

I stood up as I walked to the other side of the room. I picked up the baseball Neal had thrown to me. I placed it on the counter.

"Tryouts today?" I looked at Neal.

"Yes, I want to make the team."

"I'm sure you will."

"I'm trying out for the drama department," Ruby said as she hooked her arm with Belle's. "Me and Belle."

"When did I agree to this?" Belle looked almost like it was the first thing she ever heard of it. A smile appeared on my face. Ruby loved Belle; she would try to involve Belle in anything she did. Belle, however, preferred to stay home with a good book and there were times we persuaded Ruby to do something by herself. I believed Ruby was afraid to be by herself. And Aurora didn't seem interested in spending time with her little sister. Ruby and Belle were the same age, and somehow Ruby had gotten Belle from her social isolation.

"I want to take horseback driving after school." I looked at Regina. "There is this really…"

"Cute boy…" Aurora said. "Regina loves the boy that teaches those classes."

"She does…" A smile appeared on my face. "His name is Daniel, isn't it?"

"Who?" Killian looked at me.

"The boy who teaches horseback driving is named Daniel." I smiled.

"Charming guy." Killian took a bit of his apple. "Seventeen, if I'm not mistaken."

"Regina and Daniel sitting in a tree." Mary Margaret sang. "K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First comes love, then comes marriage; they they walk around with the baby carriage!"

"Mary!" Regina stood up from the table and chased Mary Margaret around the house.

I walked towards Elsa; she was quite like all the other times. In her lab, she had a sketching book. She would always draw in it when she believed we weren't watching. Inside I noticed she had drawn a picture of Regina and Mary Margaret chasing each other.

"Elsa, I entered you for extra art classes," I said as she gave me a quick smile. "And maybe we can convert the garage to your art studio."

"That would be really nice, Emma."

"Emma, can you please tell Regina to let go of my hair!" Right, that moment I noticed that Regina had taken hold of Mary's long black hair. I gave Regina a look; I didn't even need to say anything. She released the hair, as she sat down once again. I knew this wasn't the end of it.

"Are you going to…" Mary Margaret was not able to finish those words; Regina got up. And just that moment I looked at the clock.

"Everyone, time for the bus."

The moment they left the house, there was a cry from upstairs.

No, in this home, there was not one moment of silence.

And I loved every moment of it.


End file.
